"Most upcoming Ubisoft PC games" to use new system requiring permanent internet connection, even for single-player

DRM involving online product activation is certainly not new to
the PC gaming world, and has been met with what can best be described
as "universal disdain" from most ardent tech buffs upon
discovery of its presence. Some forms have proven more palatable than
others over time -- Valve's STEAM software has become accepted by
most as unobtrusive, Sony's five-system limit has spawned networks of
strangers trading their account details, and Microsoft's
license-transfer kit cues up an extra ounce of annoyance for anyone
unfortunate enough to experience a console breakdown -- but Ubisoft's
newly introduced online service platform seems to be destined for
a rough reception.

Ubisoft is quick to boast the added value of tying games and the
Ubi.com account together, such as unlimited installations, saved
games being backed up online as well as locally, and the removal of
the once-ubiquitous CD check (this time through legitimate
means, as opposed toRainbow
Six Vegas 2) but these new freedoms come at a high cost --
the requirement for a permanent Internet connection, even for
single-player. Many gamers have faced the annoyance of a downed
internet connection cutting off their multiplayer titles; with the
new system, any titles tied in to their Ubi.com account will be
unplayable in single player as well.

According to Ubisoft's FAQ page, "most upcoming Ubisoft PC
games" will make use of this new system. It is currently being
trialed with the beta of Settlers 7. What makes this different from
the activation systems common in other PC games is that it requires a
constant connection to the Ubisoft servers -- a heartbeat signal
telling the game to keep working. And unlike STEAM, which can run in
an offline mode for single-player games, and even keep multiplayer
games like Team Fortress 2 going, losing your internet
connection in the middle of an Ubisoft game equipped with this new
"feature" will pause the game while it attempts to
reconnect. The FAQ provides a rather ambiguous answer to what happens
if you can't get back online, in that "you can continue the game
from where you left off or from the last saved game." Hopefully
that "last saved game" wasn't too long ago.

But for those of you loyal Ubisoft customers worried about being
forced to sign up for an online account and provide private data,
don't worry. Ubisoft's FAQ has an "answer" for that
question as well:

Why is Ubisoft forcing their loyal customers to sign up for a
Ubisoft account when they don't want to give their private data and
only play single player games?We hope that customers will
feel as we do, that signing up for an account will offer them
exceptional gameplay and services that are not available otherwise.

"We shipped it on Saturday. Then on Sunday, we rested." -- Steve Jobs on the iPad launch